What's more country than converting a 1940s grain silo into a tiny vacation rental? When we move back to Altoona, Kansas this would be the place?????
Or this old silo that was incorporated into the house would be something else right all the Nunnenkamp’s
I listen to the lessons John gave at the Master’s Seminary on this topic.
1. A failure to do expositional preaching usurps the authority of God over the soul.
2. A failure to do expository preaching usurps the headship of Christ over His church.
3. A failure to preach and teach expositionally hinders the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has one tool by which He does His saving and sanctifying work. What is it? The Word of God… John 17:17, “Sanctify them by Thy truth, Thy Word is truth.”
4. A failure to do expositional preaching demonstrates pride and a lack of submission… Mavericks don’t like to submit to biblical truth because they don’t want to submit to God. It’s really frightening.
5. A failure to do expositional preaching severs the preacher personally from the regular sanctifying grace of Scripture.
6. A failure to do expositional preaching, biblical, doctrinal exposition removes spiritual depth and transcendence from worship.
7. A failure to do expositional preaching prevents the preacher from fully developing the mind of Christ critical to His work.
8. A failure to do expository preaching depreciates by example the spiritual duty of personal Bible study.
9. A failure to do expositional preaching prevents the preacher from being the voice of God on every issue of his time… Jeremiah 8:9 says, “They have rejected the Word of the Lord, what kind of wisdom do they have?”
10. A failure to do expositional preaching breeds a congregation that is weak and indifferent to the glory of God and Christ. A failure to preach Scripture redirects people from a God-centered perspective to a man-centered perspective. It tends to undermine confidence… in Scripture. There’s a certain indifference toward Scripture conveyed by the failure to teach it, but it produces a congregation that is indifferent to the glory of God and Christ because the purpose of Scripture is to enable people to glorify God and Christ. It’s amazing how low people’s view of God is in those environments, a low view of Christ rather than, as we said earlier, a great lofty transcendent view.
11. A failure to do Bible exposition robs people of their only true source of help, the Scripture. It is true, is it not?, that the only source of spiritual help is the Word of God, or the application of the Word of God, the proclamation of the Word of God which leads to the understanding of the Word of God.
12. A failure to do biblical exposition produces an attitude of indifference toward divine authority.
13. A failure to exposit the Scriptures lies to people about what they really need. It is…isn’t it Jeremiah 8:11? Treating people’s wounds superficially? They think they’re getting spiritual help and they’re not.
14. A failure to exposit the Scriptures strips the pulpit of power.
15. A failure to do expository preaching assumes that the preacher can change people by his ability. I don’t believe that. I would probably guess that if you asked any preacher if he thought he had the ability to change people, if he was anything other than a rabid Arminian, he would probably deny that. But in a fact, don’t tell me what you believe, show me by what you do when you get in the pulpit.
16. A failure to do expository preaching reduces the preacher’s words to the level of everyone else’s word. You’ve just engaged your people at the same level that all the people are…that all the pundits and all the theorists, and all the philosophers and all the religious people have engaged them. You’ve just lowered yourself to the common level.
17. A failure to do expository preaching portrays an attitude of self-love rather than loving the Lord with all your heart, mind and soul.
18. A failure to do expository preaching creates a destructive disconnect between doctrine and life.
19. A failure to do expositional preaching denigrates the person of God by omitting those attributes and truths of his revelation that trouble and terrify the unregenerate.
20. A failure to do expositional preaching reduces the preacher to the level of every rival teacher shorn of authority. It leaves ministry success to be determined by who is most clever, who can get the biggest crowd.
21. (…they’re all interwoven) A failure to do expositional preaching emasculates the dominion of the pulpit over people’s minds and souls.
22. A failure to do expository preaching disconnects people from the legacy of the past from the history of the church.
23. A failure to do expositional preaching removes protection from error and carnality so dangerous to the church. This is unfaithful shepherding.
24. A failure to do expositional preaching abandons the duty to guard the truth.
25. A failure to teach expositionally fails to defend threatened truths.
26. A failure to do Bible exposition generates shallow, selfish prayer.
27. If you don’t do expositional preaching, you fail to lead people to self-denial, cross-bearing humility.
28. A failure to do expositional preaching cheats people of the means to truly delighting in the Lord. Shallow knowledge means shallow love.
29. A failure to do expositional preaching lacks the general manliness of message and ministry.
You can read or listen to the full messages “Why I Am Committed to Expository Preaching” Part 1 and Part 2.
They say its –8 degrees now in McDermott, OH at 4 a.m. I have never seen this kind of weather ever before anywhere/.
Matthew 5 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
These first 12 verses are only the introduction to the sermon.
And be opened his mouth and taught them saying ...
And He his about to tell the group the crowded how to be blessed. That is is possible to have a blessed and happy eternal life. One that will end in eternal life of happiness and joy and blessings.
Lets look briefly at the backgroud on the sermon:
]P Two people have influenced my preaching and those are Lloyd-Jones and John MacArthur.
Similarity No. 1: The Authority of Scripture
The similarities between Lloyd-Jones and MacArthur begin with their unwavering commitment to the authority of Scripture. Both these pulpit stalwarts have strongly affirmed the sovereignty of Scripture over the life of the church and every individual. For both men, the Bible is, indisputably, the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of the living God, fully sufficient to accomplish God’s purposes upon the earth. Herein lies the underlying genius for their powerful expositions.
The Sovereignty of Scripture
With unshakable certainty, Lloyd-Jones asserts that “the Scriptures are a divine product breathed out by God.” He maintains, “They were produced by the creative breath of the almighty God.” “It is not merely that the thoughts are inspired, not merely the idea,” Lloyd-Jones contends, “but the actual record, down to the particular words.” Regarding the divine inspiration of Scripture, he states, “The Holy Spirit has thus overruled and controlled and guided these men, even in the particular words, in such a way as to prevent any error, and above all to produce the result that was originally intended by God.” With deep conviction, Lloyd-Jones insisted that the Bible is the very breath of God, and that it speaks with perfect accuracy and divine authority.
To this point, Lloyd-Jones affirms: “This subject of authority is indeed the great theme of the Bible itself. The Bible presents itself to us as an authoritative book.” The Doctor adds, “The authority of the Scriptures is not a matter to be defended, so much as to be asserted…it is the preaching and exposition of the Bible that really establish its truth and authority.” “The Scriptures themselves claim that authority”, Lloyd-Jones asserts. “They come to us as the Word of God…You cannot read the Old Testament without feeling that everywhere there is the assumption that this is the Word of God.” He further notes, “Our Lord Himself fully accepted that position. How often does He say, ‘It is written’! And He directs men to that as the final authority. He meets the attack of Satan by quoting Scripture.” Only when the Scripture is held to be supremely authoritative can the preacher wield the sword of the Spirit with power.
Regarding the Old Testament, Lloyd-Jones writes: “To the Lord Jesus Christ, the Old Testament was the Word of God; it was Scripture; it was something absolutely unique and apart; it had authority which nothing else has ever possessed nor can possess.” Similarly, this distinguished preacher recognizes this same authority in the New Testament: “The authority of the apostles undergirds and underlies the authority of the Gospels and the Epistles, the Book of Acts, indeed the whole of the New Testament. And we either accept that or we do not. It is the only authority: it is the final authority.” To be sure, Scripture is the highest authority and final word in the Westminster pulpit, the undisputed arbitrator in all matters.
Absolute Authority
Assuming this same stance, MacArthur likewise affirms the absolute authority of Scripture. This noted expositor believes that this fundamental truth is rooted and grounded in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Bible: “All Scripture, is God’s inerrant Word. He writes, God divinely superintended the accurate recording of His divinely breather truth by His divinely chosen men.” MacArthur believes that divine inerrancy is inseparably connected with biblical authority: “Those God-given, humanly-recorded words became God’s written Word, inerrant and authoritative as originally given.” He further asserts, “If the Bible is infallible and inerrant, it must be the final word—the highest standard of authority.” Consequently, MacArthur argues that “the truth of Scripture…has the full weight of God’s own authority behind it.” Because the Bible is divinely inspired, it is divinely authoritative, a truth that mandates biblical preaching.
“If the Bible is true,” MacArthur insists, “then it is also authoritative. As divinely revealed truth, it carries the full weight of God’s own authority. If you claim to believe the Bible at all, you ultimately must bow to its authority.” To this end, he states: “Preaching the Bible establishes the authority of God over the mind and the soul. When we preach the Word of God, our people understand who has sovereignty over their souls—it is God alone who reigns over their thoughts and their actions.” The Bible, MacArthur notes, “is not a book of suggestions. Its divine mandates are authoritative and binding. Those who treat it lightly place themselves in eternal peril. Those who take it seriously find eternal blessing.” Consequently, “The Bible claims complete authority over our lives.” This is to say, Scripture possesses supreme authority over every part of every life.
Such biblical authority, Old notes, breeds great confidence in MacArthur as he preaches: “What he seems to have is a witness to true authority. He recognizes in Scripture the Word of God, and when he preaches, it is Scripture that one hears.” He adds: “Surely one of the greatest strengths of MacArthur’s preaching ministry is his complete confidence in the text.” Therefore, MacArthur’s approach to the biblical text must surely be defined by his complete reliance upon its unrivalled authority. Old further stresses: “This basic assumption that the text of Scripture is reliable is part of the foundation of his effectiveness as an interpreter.”
Unquestionably, MacArthur’s firm commitment to the absolute authority of Scripture emboldens his preaching. In this, both Lloyd-Jones and MacArthur speak with one voice.
Preaching is an important part of pastoral ministry, but preparation can be stewarded better with the right kind of help. |
What we say in the pulpit has the ability to transform people's lives, and lead them to be like Jesus.
In 2010 LifeWay Research found that Protestant pastors devote more time to sermon preparation than anything else they do—and that's good news.
Only 7% dedicate less than 5 hours a week, which is a smaller number than the 9% who dedicate more than 25 hours per week to sermon preparation.
The preaching of God's Word matters greatly.
That's a lot of time out of a pastor's work-week. With 65% of pastors working at least 50 hours a week, that indicates to us that the average pastor is dedicating a significant amount of time in sermon preparation.
You don't have to wait until the week before to start listening to the Holy Spirit!
God is just as present in your planning and preparation months in advance as He is "in the moment," and by getting ahead you give Him time to reveal even more inspiration to you as each Sunday's topic approaches. Plus, you'll be able to engage more of your creative staff and volunteers to make each Sunday the best it can be, for God's glory!
God has spoken in Scripture. It is the business of all Christians to seek to understand God's Word and put it into practice. If this is the case for every believer, then it is certainly true for pastors. Their key task is to teach and apply the message of the Bible for the salvation of the lost and the building up of the people of God. Acts 20:17-41.
Find a church where the preacher preaches the text in its context. Lives are transformed by pointing the direction of their hearts toward Christ. A do list of behavior doesn't work. People need an appetite to please the Lord and not themselves. Sunday's Sermon
."I have never been as happy as I am now"Bruce Jenner. In his gender reassignment. He needed to hear my sermon from last Sunday on what it means to live happily ever after.
Far too man people try to find happiness in the wrong places. Luke 6 20 to 26 gives us the right places and the right attitude that we need to discover happiness.
I know why the Lord didn't call me to be an evangelist! How could I preach or teach Romans every night!!! An preacher is an evangelist and an evangelist and missionaries are preachers or teachers. And each have a specific calling to do for the Lord.
I wonder if there is an program for necktie addiction? Of course I have several other addictions as well?
Back in 1978-79 when I was in Connersville, IN and working at Calvary Baptist, and having such a wonderful ministry and we were how shall I say it, "Let Go" from the work. I do believe that Teresa was used by the Lord to encourage us to the point that we did not quit the ministry.
Preachers need preaching as much as doing the preaching. Today its been David Jeremiah at 7 a.m. then Charles Price at 8 a.m. then I preached at 10 am and 11 am came home and listen to John MacArthur and Grace Communication Church worship service at 1:30 to 3:15 pm. Back to church at 5 p.m. teach again at 6:00 pm. come home and at 9 p.m another service with Grace Community Church
Did Christ Die for all Men or Only His elect? The following is a written response to a brother with the following question about l...
